Five Birthdays Hino Rei Wished She Could Forget
by ElleRouge
Summary: And One She'll Remember Forever. PGSM, Rei/Minako; the title sums it up. :
1. 1994

**Author's Note**: Okay, guys... There's been a few hundred visitors to this fic and yet not a single review! I usually don't beg or anything, but what's up? Is it that bad? I put a lot of work into this and I'd love to know what some of you think, even if you hate it! Please, hit that little button at the bottom and let me know what you think, what you hated or loved, what I could work on, et anything you feel like I'd definitely appreciate it so it doesn't feel like shouting into the dark with no response. :)

**Disclaimer**: Sailor Moon in it's various forms is the intellectual property of Takeuchi Naoko while concepts and original writing belong to me. Illustrations provided by Sammee, which can be found by visiting My Picasa Album, at this URL: ** picasaweb(dot)google(dot)com/eossana** (obviously replace (dot) with a period before you put that into your address bar). Here you can click on the Illustrations album and see in order the cover and subsequent designs that accompany this fic. They're ammmmazing.

**Dedication:** Again, this is for you, Mels... Happy Birthday!

**Special Thanks: **To you, Sammee, for being the best ever!

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**Glossary**

_Tamagoyaki – _Breakfast egg roll, popular also in bento boxes.

_nemaki kimono – _Light, sleeping kimono. Pajamas.

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**Five Birthdays Hino Rei Wished She Could Forget **

**and **

**One She'll Remember Forever**

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**

**1994**

"Mama… when's Papa going to be here?" The small girl asked, reaching up to grasp at her mother's stripped shirt, tugging for her attention as she brushed her hair. Her mother smiled down at her, grabbing her hand and stilling it.

"Stop fussing, let me finish up," She murmured, running her fingers through the silky dark locks. The small girl couldn't stop fidgeting, though, pulling her head away before she could get it up in a ponytail and twisting to scowl up at her.

"But, Mama! It's my birthday, he said he was staying home today," She whined petulantly, huffing and crossing her arms.

"Hush, Rei-chan, I'm sure he'll be here later. He had a meeting this morning he couldn't reschedule," Risa replied, a small frown tugging at her lips. She would find her daughters angry pouting endearing if it weren't so heart breaking to know how sad she really was inside. Shaking her head, she twisted her daughters' hair up into two pigtails with a flourish, patting the girl on the back.

"Come now, I need to get breakfast started," She said, trying to inject as much cheer into her tone as possible, "Why don't you go wash your hands and get your things ready for class before breakfast, okay? I'm making _tamagoyaki_."

"Mmmm! Okay!" Rei smiled widely, turning to skip out of her bedroom, distracted from the bone she had been gnawing about her father since she woke up this morning. Risa sighed as she followed her daughter out, stopping at the doorway to pick up the discarded _nemaki kimono_ Rei had tossed to the floor in excitement as she tore about her room, dressing for her special day. Shaking her head, she wished her husband had just stayed home for breakfast before he left for work; it would've saved her a lot of trouble with her unusually enthusiastic child. Such a serious child otherwise, she had been looking forward to this day for weeks due to the anticipation for the present her parents had drummed into her.

She walked into the kitchen, pulling on a simple beige apron before she set about pulling out the ingredients for their breakfast. She smiled at the cupcakes she had made the night before, pleased that they had turned out so well as she moved them aside to make room for her utensils, humming lightly. She popped open the lid on the plastic container holding the dainty white morsels, pulling one out while simultaneously opening a drawer with her other hand, pulling out a candle that she stuck in the middle, next to the small raspberry on top. She placed it on the small table in the adjacent dinning room before turning back to her task.

"Can I stir the bowl, Mama?" Rei asked from behind as she finished slipping eggs into the steel mixing bowl. She felt a small form lean on her and looked down to see Rei hugging her side, peering up at the counter.

"Ah! Cupcakes!" Rei squealed, clutching at her mothers waist, hugging her tighter with her small arms.

"Why don't we sneak in a desert for your birthday, hmm?" She asked as she corralled Rei into the dining room, where she swung her up onto the high stool before coming around to sit opposite the excited 4 year old. Feeling around in her apron's pocket, she withdrew a pack of matches that she used to light the singular candle in the cupcake. Rei's eyes followed the flame the moment she struck the match, fascinated by the tiny flickering fire.

It was something that had scared her immensely, when she had found out that her daughter had a particular love of fire—Even when she was a tottler, whenever they would visit Takashi's father at the Shrine, Rei would have eyes only for the numerous candles placed throughout and when she could walk, if Risa didn't hold onto her hand tightly enough, she would slip from her mothers grasp and head straight towards the nearest pedestal. She had come to realize, though, that Rei seemed well aware of the dangers, never once burning herself despite the many times she would put her hands up to the flame, as if caressing it's contour.

"Happy Birthday, my love," Risa said warmly. She had already sung the English happy birthday song earlier as she woke up the little girl, a ritual she had done from the time Rei was an infant. Standing, she walked around the table and kissed the girl on the forehead, knowing that Rei would sit and watch the candle burn to the very end, allowing her to finish breakfast. They were running slightly late due to one of Rei's tantrums in the bath and she didn't have the time to let Rei help her cook before she had to drive her to pre-school. Bustling into the kitchen, she quickly set about finishing the egg rolls.

***

"Rei-chan, Rei-chan!" Rei turned at her name being called, smiling shyly at the two girls running up to her. She wasn't really familiar with one of the girls, though the slightly taller girl, Mika, also went to her grandfather's Shrine—they had played together often. Despite her earlier excitement, she didn't know what to say to their hurried questions about her birthday, ducking her head as her cheeks flushed in anxiety.

"Um, no, I'm just going to dinner wit h my mama and papa," She finally said, looking up through her bangs. A few other children had gathered, peering at the tin in her hands.

"Oh, can we have one now? Pleease, Rei-chan?" Mika asked, clasping her hands together and smiling eagerly. Rei looked at all the other children huddled around, frowning. She couldn't give any out; there were just enough for her primary class but she didn't know how to say no to the excited looks.

"Well—"

"Come on, share!" A little boy from behind said, pushing forward to grab at the container. She pulled it in closer to her body , shaking her head vehemently.

"No! My mama made them for my class!" But even as she said this, the boy had reached out and grasped a corner, attempting to tug it from her grip. She lost hold of it and awkwardly it clattered to the ground, the top popping off and scattering the small white puffs across the concrete. Snapping her eyes up, she glared at the boy who was staring wide eyed at the mess.

"Hey, I didn-" He wasn't able to finish as she launched herself at him, using her momentum to push him to the ground. He caught her by the arms and they struggled as she yelled angry gibberish at him, finally wrestling him to the ground as she sat on his chest, striking him with her small fists.

"Stupid! Why'd you do that for?" She yelled into his face as he wiggled beneath her, trying to push her off but she wouldn't budge, reaching down to grab one of the cupcakes and using it to smear frosting across his face. The children around her were chanting, having circled around them like a ring and they laughed as he sputtered, spitting out pieces of cake from his mouth as Rei pushed him one last time.

"What's going on here?" The voice of Sister Miyako cut through the crowd and before Rei knew it, all of the children had scattered except for the two of them on the ground, yellow cake pieces clinging to both of them. She was lifted off of the boy and she sneered, folding her arms across her chest as she pulled away from the nun.

"Akio-kun, Rei-chan; what's the meaning of this?" The Sister asked, standing between them with a hand on each of their shoulders, holding them tightly. They both launched into their version of the story in rapid tones but the nun raised a hand, shaking her head at the both of them.

"Into the office—We'll have to call your parents and we'll figure this out," She turned them both around, pushing them forward towards the administration building. Akio leaned over her and stuck his tongue out, where white and yellow froth still clung to his lips.

"Thanks! Those were good!" He said jovially, smacking his lips loudly. Huffing, she turned her eyes from him and stared straight ahead, ignoring his antics as they were led into the main office. The receptionist quirked a curious eyebrow at the two of them but Rei just collapsed into one of the chairs lining the back wall, sitting quietly until her mother came to collect her.

"Your mother is here, Rei-chan," The receptionist called out after many long, excruciatingly quiet minutes, looking at her over her cateye reading glasses with sympathy, "Sister Miyako would like to speak to both of you in her office, just behind you."

Rei stood up, unable to look her mother in the eyes as she shuffled her feet, nervous about meeting with the Deputy Headmistress. Looking up, she saw her mother as well as a tall man approaching, a large scowl coming over his face as he came up to Akio. The little boy shrank back in his seat, grimacing as his father reprimanded him for fighting _again_ on school grounds. Shaking her head, Risa came up behind her and put a hand on her back, giving her a slight push in the direction of the door.

"Let's get this over with so we can head to the park, mmkay?" She said quietly. Rei looked up at the conspiratorial whisper, suddenly relieved that her mother wasn't mad at her. Nodding happily, she practically skipped into the office, turning back to make a face at Akio, who still sat slumped in his chair, grimacing as his father lectured him.

***

The park had managed to distract Rei for a few hours, but as they walked back to their house, she was fixated once again on whether her father was going to make it or not. Risa kept a smile on her face but was beginning to feel frayed at the edges as she answered the same questions over and over. She knew very well that her husband wasn't going to make it, but didn't have the heart to tell her daughter quite yet, especially after the commotion at school.

"What are you doing?" She asked after she turned to see Rei stopped, looking up with a confused expression on her face. She retraced her steps, coming to kneel before her daughter. There was a blank look on her face and she seemed to be staring right through Risa, not even blinking as she waved a hand in front of her face. Perplexed, she put her arms around the little girl and lifted her up to settle her on her hip, quickly walking the two blocks back to their house.

She started to worry when Rei still hadn't made a sound or reacted by the time she sat her down on their couch. As soon as she pulled away, though, Rei instantly grasped her arms, a panicked look in her eyes.

"Mama, no, don't leave me!" She wailed, throwing herself into Risa's arms once again, almost knocking the woman to the ground. Confused, she gathered the suddenly sobbing girl into her arms, sitting back on her haunches as Rei clung to her.

"What's the matter, baby? I'm not going anywhere," She assured, trying to pull the little girl back so she could look into her eyes but she would not budge, her arms locked around Risa's neck.

"Don't leave me, Mama!" She said again, shaking her head and burrowing her face further into Risa's neck.

"Honey, I told you, I'm not going anywhere, I'm right here," She said again, shifting the girl as much as she could as she manoeuvred herself onto the couch, leaning back with Rei in her arms.

Nothing seemed to calm her as she cried hysterically; though Risa tried everything she could think of to no avail. She tried to assure her she wasn't going anywhere anytime soon; she tried coaxing her to sit back with pieces of her favourite liquorice candies; she attempted to get her excited about her unopened birthday gifts; she had even tried reading to her but Rei continued to gasp against her shoulder, leaving her shirt wet with warm tears.

As the day wore on, her sobs started loose their fervor, finally stopping as Rei nodded off, fighting a loosing battle to keep her eyes open. Risa breathed a sigh of relief as she tiptoed to the couch against the wall and gently laid the girl down. She bit her lip as Rei shifted but smiled when it seemed the girl was truly asleep. Quickly, she made her way to the bathroom, having felt the pressure in her bladder for over an hour.

She was drying her hands when a strangled cry caught her off guard, startling her into dropping the towel she had been holding. Rushing back into the living room, she found Rei sitting up on the couch, rubbing her eyes as she began crying once again. Risa quickly gathered her in her arms, quickly wiping her tears and kissing each sodden cheek tenderly.

"Shush, my darling, please; why are you so upset? Tell mama," She said soothingly, though the tears continued to fall across those small, porcelain cheeks. Rei sniffled, trying to speak through her erratic gasps. Risa shhhed her again, smoothing the hair from her hot forehead.

"Deep breaths, my darling, breathe with me," She said calmly, slowly inhaling and then exhaling, encouraging Rei to center herself. Rei followed lead, but each time she would come close to even breathing she would hiccough and start crying again. She shook her head, finally, throwing her arms around Risa once again and burying her face into her bosom. Risa gave up, pulling her daughter closer as she continued to rock her, terribly concerned.

Rei had always displayed a keen sense of observation and intelligence that bordered on the uncanny, but there were times that Risa wondered if it went beyond that. She remembered once when she and Rei had been playing before dinner when the toddler had suddenly stopped, informing her mother in a broken sentence that Papa wasn't coming. Not ten seconds later, the phone was shrilly ringing throughout the house and when she answered it, it indeed was Takashi calling to say his flight was cancelled and he wouldn't be arriving until the morning. She had first written it off, but as the "coincidences" seemed to add up, Risa had accepted that her daughter was special.

Frowning, she looked down at her near-hysterical child, holding her tightly as Rei clutched her torso. Could it be possible that this was another of those circumstances? Could she have… Risa suddenly felt lightheaded as a realization came over her.

She had been diagnosed with a progressive degenerative heart disease recently and was currently waiting on the results of a first battery of tests she had undergone to determine if treatment was possible and what course to take. The Doctor's had informed her, though, that beyond transplant whatever option would still only be buying her time, due to how far it had progressed by the time they caught it. Feeling tears come to her own eyes as she thought of the grim reality that she could very well be leaving her daughter sometime soon, she nestled her face into Rei's hair, at a loss of what to say or do.

She shifted them, pulling Rei onto her chest as she stretched out along the length of the couch, propping herself up slightly with one of her throw pillows. She held her daughter gently, yet so close she could feel every shutter and sigh in the little frame as she inhaled the baby fresh smell of her scalp. Closing her eyes, she began humming a quiet melody, using it to segue into a lullaby that she sang softly into her daughters' small ear. Eventually, Rei nodded off once again and Risa decided to stay where she was, content to hold onto her small daughter, disregarding birthday presents and dinner alike.

When Takashi unlocked the door to his home many hours later, he expected to find a dark household that he would navigate through to his bedroom, collapsing next to his wife after a long day at work. A low glow in the living room attracted his attention, though, and he walked in to find her reclined against the arm of the couch, clutching their daughter sprawled across her chest, both fast asleep with dried tear tracks along their cheeks. He didn't have the heart to wake them, grabbing a blanket from the linen closet in the hallway before snapping it open and letting it float down around their curled up frames. He tucked the sides in and bit his lips as he brushed his hand across Risa's face, before he straightened quickly and made his way to the staircase, noticing the unopened gifts on the table.


	2. 1995

**Author's Note:** Please let me know what you think by reviewing so that I may change anything that desperately needs it.

**Glossary**

_Sofu _– Personal term for "My grandfather"

_Shoko Asahara_ – Head of the Aum Shinrikyo, now known as Aleph, a cult which grabbed media attention in 1995 for releasing Sarin gas into the subway system in Tokyo; it was the biggest attack on Japanese soil since WWII.

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**1995**

The day was murky when she woke, startled from slumber by a light knock on her door. She was exempt from her chores today, but she almost wished she wasn't as she relaxed into her blankets, curling into herself in a tight fetal position. This wasn't the western style pillow top that she had slept in most her life, this wasn't her old bedroom, and as each minute passed, she felt more and more like this couldn't possibly be her birthday. She opened her eyes and turned over at the sound of another knock on her door.

"Rei-chan?" Her grandfather popped his head in, smiling when he saw her awake.

"Breakfast is in a few minutes, do you want to join us?" She nodded, blearily rubbing her eyes. He smiled, ducking out before popping his head back in, quirking an eyebrow at her.

"And Happy Birthday, honey," He said before closing the door behind him.

Kicking the blankets off her body, she rolled to her feet and walked the length of her room, kneeling before the solitary picture framed upon her desk. She reached a finger out and caressed her mothers' small face, smiling sadly.

"Mama… I miss you," She said softly, feeling the telltale stinging in her eyes as tears threatened to fall. Taking a deep breath, she sat back on her heels, letting her head fall back as she stared upwards, blinking heavily for a few moments before she stood up. Rubbing at her eyes furiously, she hurried out of her room quickly, following the scent of grilled fish to the small sitting room that they took their meals in.

Hino Takahiro was already sitting in _seiza_ at the head of the squat table in the center of the room, dressed in his usual simple kimono and navy hakama as he perused a newspaper. His apprentice, a young teenager he had taken in named Kumada Yūichirō, sat to his left completely absorbed in his breakfast as he nodded absently to Takahiro's tirade. Neither seemed to notice her as she came up behind them, peering curiously at the newspaper in her grandfathers hand. The newspaper held a grainy picture of her father and though she couldn't read the complicated kanji, she could understand from the way her grandfather was waving it about that it wasn't necessarily good news.

"What's the matter, _Sofu_?" She asked quietly, coming around to sit at her usual seat to his right. He smiled up at her, immediately changing his demeanour as he folded the paper up and used it to tap her on the head.

"Ah, nothing you need to worry about, especially today," He replied cheerfully.

"What do you want to do today, Rei-chan?" Yūichirō interjected, his floppy hair covering his bright eyes as he leaned on his elbows over the table. Takahiro batted at him with the newspaper, jovially indicating he should sit properly. Rolling his eyes, the young man smiled as he leaned back, straightening his posture before quirking an eyebrow at Rei humorously.

"Papa's coming to get me," She said happily, using her red chopsticks to awkwardly snag a couple of omelette morsels from the main serving tray in the center of the table.

"Ah, about that honey, your father called and said he'd be late coming to get you. It'll be before lunch, if that's alright? We'll do something instead, all three of us, okay?" Takahiro responded with a slight grimace as Rei's face crumbled at his words. She nodded listlessly, picking at her egg rolls, no longer interested in her favourite breakfast item.

After they finished breakfast, Yūichirō was able to coerce her into drawing together, managing to entertain her for the morning. She kept an eye on the clock, regardless, counting down the hours until lunch with anticipation. She had barely seen her father in the two months since she had come to live here, having had dinner with him only once since her mothers funeral. She was excited to see him, though she was obviously restraining herself, afraid that her father wouldn't like her now that her mother was gone. She had always been intimidated by his gruff demeanour, but had secretly imitated him, feeling a conflicting swirl of emotions that she couldn't figure out when it came to him.

As it neared the time he would be arriving, she couldn't contain her excitement, loitering in the courtyard while she watched the Shrine entrance intently. She was disappointed when her grandfather called her in for lunch and she sat sullenly through the meal, barely smiling at Yūichirō's antics as he attempted to cheer her up with silly jokes while avoiding her grandfathers sympathetic eyes. She bolted from her chair the moment they were finished, shaking her head to their calls as she ran to her room.

Bursting through the door with tears in her eyes, she ran to her bedroll, tossing herself into the blankets sullenly. She clenched her eyes shut, trying not to cry as she laid there, wondering why her father didn't love her. She seemed to be just a burden to him, no matter how hard she sought for his approval. She felt hot inside, a deep burning in the bottom of her stomach that constricted her throat and left her breathless.

Turning onto her back, she thought back to the previous summer, remembering it had been the only time that her father had been home every night, with her and her mother. She had known in a place deep inside that her mother was sick, though her parents had been so tight lipped about it, and yet it was the happiest time in her memory because they had felt like a true family for the first and only time.

As she laid there, she watched the long stretches of sunglight filtering in through the cream blinds lengthen. Some hours later, she heard the muffled sound of raied voices; she popped her head up excitedly, hurrying to push herself up. She gave up all pretences of dignity as she dashed towards the noise, coming to a stop just before she entered the main receiving room, trying to calm her breath. She peaked her head around the corner, her heart pounding as she saw her father standing rigidly as his father heatedly gestured at him.

"You're a disgrace to my name, Takashi. Dropping her off here... It's as if you could care less about the implications this will have on her later on. You haven't changed at all, still the selfish little boy I raised," He said angrily, jabbing a finger into the indifferent mans chest.

"Rei is my child; she can take care of herself. It's not suitable for her to be carted around with me until I secure a more prominent position but with the recent splintering of LDP members, that's not happening anytime soon. We've got to deal with that Asahara nut, now, afterwards I'll come for her; I have no intention of leaving her here with you forever," He replied calmly, refusing to look his father in the eyes.

"You treat this too lightly! What do you think she's feeling, having just buried her mother and never seeing her father?" The moustachioed Priest demanded. Her father's head snapped round and he glared at the older man, a look of distaste curling his lip.

"I refuse to talk about this; where's Rei?" Takashi spit out. Rei flinched at the venom in hi tone, backing up from the wall hesitantly. She spun on her heel, the scuffle of her shoes drawing attention to her as she exited, her grandfather immediately dropping his hands and pivoting towards her direction.

"Rei?" She heard him call out but she didn't stop nor glance back as she tore down the hall. She could hear their footsteps in pursuit, the soft sound of her grandfathers shoes mingling with the heavy thud of her father's stride as they both followed her. Quickening her own step, she hurried past her door, making a sharp left at the end of the building and looping back around it, slipping into the room they had just occupied.

In a small adjacent room there was a row of cabinets and a sink, meant for purifying your mouth and hands. Rei quickly opened the cabinet door, slipping under the sink carefully. She was small enough to have a lot of room, but she tucked up her legs under her chin, holding herself tightly. She was startled a bit later when the sound of her fathers voice cut through the silence and tranquility of the room.

"I don't have time to play hide and seek; I was going to take Rei with me to a family party the Minister is throwing, but she obviously doesn't want to cooperate," His voice seemed to come closer until it seemed to be right in front of her hiding spot. She heard the slight moan of the pipes as the sink above her was turned on.

"You give up so easily; how would Rei feel if she knew you'd left her to go to a party, of all things?" Came her grandfathers voice.

"What she doesn't know can't hurt her," He replied.

"I'm disappointed in you, Takashi. You'd think you would have more understanding of what Rei is going through, considering her moth-"To this, her father cut him off, his tone no longer stoic and indifferent.

"And what do you think I'm going through? I was working non-stop on helping the government react appropriately to the Kobe earthquake… I couldn't help it! She refused to let me take her to America for a transplant… Don't assume to know what was going on!" He burst out, shutting the water off to the sink roughly.

Rei blinked back tears, biting her lip and holding it in harshly so as to not alert the two men. She heard her father storm out of the room, with her grandfather trailing behind him she was sure, but she stayed where she was, burying her face in her arms as she allowed herself to cry in earnest.

It wasn't until much later that her grandfather started to become truly worried about his absentee grand-daughter. When he opened the cupboard beneath the sink, he frowned at seeing her curled up in a tight ball, a grimace twisting her face as she slept. Gently, he reached in, grabbing an arm and pulling the girl out without knocking her against the lead pipe coming down from the center. She mumbled, turning her face into his chest as he held her tightly, straightening up with a slight sigh. Rocking her gently, he turned to take her back to her room, shaking his head at his selfish son. At least he was here to take care of her, he reasoned as he looked down at the beautiful, albeit tragically sad face. He vowed then to do everything he could to make her feel wanted and loved, despite the circumstances.


	3. 1997

**Author's Note:** Review? It would be appreciated.

**Glossary**

_Sofu _– Personal term for "My grandfather"

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**1997**

"You look beautiful, Rei." Her grandfather's gravelly voice made her jump and she turned from the mirror with a scowl to see him leaning in through her doorway, dressed in his full Priest regalia.

"I don't want to go, _Sofu_," She replied quietly, turning back to inspect her own kimono critically. She tugged on a piece of her hair, pouting as she ran her fingers through it. Her grandfather laughed when she turned to him again, folding her arms petulantly.

"Your papa has arranged a wonderful party for you, Rei. It would be rude not to show up to a party in your honor, don't you think?" He asked cheerfully, coming up behind her to lay his hands on her shoulder.

"And...?" She responded, scowling up at him. He shook his head, his strong hands travelling down her small form to grasp her sides, pulling her up into his arms. Despite his solemn profession, he had had too much tragedy in his life to not be a jovial and gregarious man, one of the things that consistently drew people to their Shrine.

"You're almost too big for me to do this anymore," he said happily as he swung her in his arms, snuggling her into his chest as he kissed her on the forehead and each cheek, his scratchy moustache tickling her. She wiggled in his arms, trying to move her face from his kisses, unsuccessfully trying to hide her giggles as he continued to hug her tightly.

"That's a girl, lighten up. You don't want to look like your papa, do you?" He asked, exaggerating a scowl and barring his teeth, "He scowled so much when he was your age, he's stuck with that unhappy look on his face for the rest of his life."

"Nu huh! You're lying," She said, shaking her head at him as she fidgeted, indicating that she wanted down.

"Have I ever lied to you? Never have and never will," He said solemnly, setting her back on her feet. He smoothed the wrinkles in his kimono before doing the same for her, running his fingers along her collar.

"Promise?"

"Promise! Finish your hair and then we best be on our way," He responded, patting her on the head affectionately before he turned and left, leaving her door open. Frowning at her reflection, she pulled her hair up into a twist, struggling with her small fingers to keep the wrap in place. Smiling in triumph, she turned and skipped out of her room, though she caught herself and forced herself to walk slowly, knowing that despite his good nature, he was still a stickler for respectful behaviour inside the Shrine.

When they arrived at her old house, she braced herself for the worst, grimacing at her grandfather when he opened the door with a flourish. She stepped out hesitantly, taking in the other cars that were parked in the circular driveway leading up to the western style mansion. It looked much the same as she remembered, other than a few new hedges lining the walkway up to the door. Swallowing, she looked up at her grandfather as he came to stand next to her, drawing comfort from his reassuring smile.

"Let's get this show on the road, okay, honey?" He suggested. She nodded, shyly reaching out to grasp his hand as they made their way to the door, which swung open without prompting to reveal her father.

"Where's the dress that I bought you?" Were the first words out of his mouth, wiping the tentative smile off her lips before it even formed.

"I didn't like it, I much prefer this," She replied, pushing past him to enter the house. Her grandfather stayed behind, lowering his voice to say something to his son. She took in all of the red and white decorations, subtly pleased that he had at least remembered her favourite colors. There were children everywhere, while it looked like their parents were drinking cocktails and conversing in the dining room—she hardly recognized a lot of the children, which made her feel awkward. Feeling suddenly conspicuous in her kimono, as all the other little girls and boys were dressed in suits and party dresses, she tried to turn back and head towards her grandfather, but was cut off by a short, round faced girl.

"What are you doing, Rei-chan? Isn't this your party, why don't you come play with us?" Mika asked, her words friendly but her tone patronizing. She had known Mika for a long time, as the girls mother insisted on bringing her to the Shrine periodically but over the years they had ceased being friends when Rei had been deemed weird by her peers for living at a Shrine while attending a parochial school.

Hesitantly, Rei agreed, following the girl to the living room where a group of children were playing a party game. They stared at her openly as she sat down; though she didn't recognize some of them, she knew they must all go to her school. Mika sat down next to her, smiling an overly sweet smile as she explained the game they were playing. The children chatted around her while Rei remained quiet, keeping one eye on the game and one eye on her father, watching as he smiled and charmed a group of parents that were twittering around him, obviously sucking up now that he had just been elected to the Diet.

"Come on, Rei-chan, do it for us!" Shaking her head, she focused in on the group, suddenly embarrassed that she didn't know why all the children were staring at her.

"What?" She asked dumbly, turning to Mika for an explanation.

"Come on, do a trick for us, Rei-chan. I know you have weird powers; I've seen you do stuff at the Shrine. Can't you predict our fortunes?" The girl said expectantly.

"Um, I don't really-"

"Don't be selfish, we all came here for you, you know," The girl responded, folding her arms as she looked down her nose at Rei.

"But I—"

"How rude, we come here just for you, and you won't even share with us. You're so mean, Rei-chan!" Mika suddenly wailed, startling Rei. The other girls nodded in agreement, shaking their head at Rei. Glaring at Mika, she stood up abruptly.

"I don't have to do anything you tell me to, I didn't want you to come, anyway." Rei responded, ready to walk away. Mika stood up, reaching out to grasp for Rei's arm.

"Don't be selfish, Rei-chan," She said condescendingly, squeezing painfully. Rei wrenched her arm away, turning to stomp off but she ran right into a man who had a camera round his neck.

"Hey there, Birthday Girl! May I take your picture?" He asked, bending down to look her in the eyes as he raised his camera up, smiling confidently. He didn't wait for an answer as he backed up and began to focus but Rei exploded, realizing he was a reporter. She threw her hand in front of the lens, pushing slightly.

"Go away!" She said aggressively, shoving past him angrily. She stomped over past her father who still stood surrounded by fawning women, glaring at him angrily as she came up to her grandfather.

"_Sofu_, I want to go home," She said petulantly, throwing dirty looks at her father who hadn't even noticed her as she stormed past.

"Are you sure? We haven't even gotten to the cake," He responded, a concerned look upon his face.

"No, I want to go home. Right now!" She whined, reaching up to tug on his arm. She started to pull him towards the door when her father finally noticed, coming up to intercept them.

"Where are you going, Rei?" He asked seriously, a scowl upon his face. Rei sneered, sticking up her nose and refusing to answer as she tapped her foot impatiently. Clenching his jaw, he looked into his fathers' eye.

"I'm going to take her home, Takashi. She didn't want to come anyway; my mistake for thinking you cared about your daughter more than your career but I can see this was just a way for you to gather your campaign donors," Takahiro said pointedly, looking over at the group of women who stood blatantly watching the scene unfolding before them. He shook his head, turning to follow Rei out the door.

The drive back was quiet and when they arrived at the Shrine, Rei was out the door before the car had even stopped, pointedly pulling her hair out of its twist as she rushed up the stairs. Takahiro followed, wondering if this little girl was ever going to have a good birthday.


	4. 2002

**Author's Note:** I spent a lot of time on this particular section, due to the lack of information on Shinto funeral rites, specifically. 95% of funerals in Japan are Buddhist, due to the fact that death is considered impure in the Shinto faith, but for Priests and dedicated Shinto families, there are ancient rituals to be followed. I tried to include these details as naturally as possible.

**Glossary**

_Sofu _– Personal term for "My grandfather"

_Oji-sama _– Formal term for "Uncle" or "Mister"

_Kannushi_ – In older versions of the word, a _Kannushi_ was a Priest responsible for Shrine maintenance, though in modern context it has become a common word for Shinto Priests in general.

* * *

**2002**

_Monday, April 15th _

She had been prepared for it before her father had come to collect her from school—Her heart had clenched, beating wildly in her chest and she knew, then, that her grandfather was at the end, having been hospitalized for a stroke at the beginning of the weekend. When her stomach twisted, she felt like she'd be nauseous and quickly stood from her desk, the scrape of her chair startling the teacher and her classmates. They stared up at her with curious eyes as she walked towards the door that suddenly slid open to reveal her father, a dark scowl upon his face. Unlike her peers, he didn't seem surprised when she walked past him, heading for her locker to gather her things.

The drive to the hospital was silent as Rei stared listlessly out the window, a feeling of hollow resignation settling into the pit of her stomach. At one point, Takashi had tried to lay a heavy hand upon her shoulder but she shrugged it off, refusing to look at her father. The leather creaked under his weight as he shifted, clearing his throat uncomfortably.

She was out the door before the car had even come to a proper stop, finally feeling a sense of urgency as she took the stairs two at a time. Bursting through the glass doors, she glanced back to see the top of her fathers head as he ascended the stairs himself before she hurried to the elevator. Impatiently, she poked the small red arrow repeatedly until it dinged, the door sliding open just as her father joined her.

Neither of them spoke and for every floor that passed, Rei felt angrier and angrier. She just didn't know how could he be here for his fathers death yet he had been too busy with work, of all things, to come visit his wife in this very hospital. Shaking her head, she stepped forward, pushing through the doors the moment they slid open. She would keep her peace today, she decided as she hurried down the hall, slowing her step as she approached his room. Swallowing, she entered purposefully, leaving the door open for her father as she approached the bed.

He lay peacefully, seeming for all the world like he was sleeping quietly as she slowly stepped up to his bedside. With a shaking hand, she brushed a wisp of silver hair from his closed eyes, trailing her finger tip along the soft ridge of his eyebrow before letting her hand drop listlessly. She looked up when her father finally stepped into the room, a baby faced Doctor trailing behind him with a chart clutched to his chest. Bowing to Rei briefly, he came around to the other side of the hospital bed, looking nervously up at her glowering father.

"Well?" Takashi said impatiently, as if he wanted to get the show on the road. Rei sneered at him; why was he here if he was going to be nothing but disrespectful? She couldn't seem to focus on the words coming out of the doctors mouth, though, the sound of his voice like a buzzing insect in her ears. She knew her grandfather was only being kept alive due to the machines, something she knew he would abhor, but thankfully it wouldn't be for long now that they were here.

In fact, before she realized it, the Doctor was reclining the bed, preparing to turn the machines off. She huddled nearer her father, resenting the childish desire to hold his hand but feeling vulnerable and tremulous as she watched the spiked, scrolling heart monitor go flat. She felt tears come to her eyes, but out of the corner of her eye she saw her father square his shoulders and clench his jaw, so she held it in, refusing to be weak in front of him.

Closing her eyes briefly, she centered herself the way _Sofu_ had taught her, opening her eyes finally to look past the room in which she stood to the bright afternoon day glaring out across the cityscape, the dingy cable wires she could see criss crossing the avenues like a mechanical cobweb, ugly and vulgar next to the shining hard brilliance of reflective glass buildings and concrete behemoths. _Sofu_ had hated it, and right now, so did she as she folded her arms across her chest as her father next to her signed papers and releases, beginning the complicated process of sorting out the ensuing details.

Her fathers family came from Kyoto, where they owned a pair of sister Shrines related to theirs here in Tokyo, but the two there were situated at the base and the summit of a beautiful mountain that her grandfather had loved, having grown up their at the feet of his own grandfather, their line of Priests unbroken until her father stretching back a hundreds of years. She herself was proud to take on that mantle and to continue her traditions, feeling overwhelmed and insecure with the modern world splayed out beneath her, but she knew if it wasn't for her, the wonder and beauty she had found in her life would die amidst the exhaust and fumes of the great city before her.

"Rei, come along; there's a lot to do," Her father called from the doorway as he followed the Doctor out, jarring her from her reverie. Bending over the bed, she pressed her lips to the papery skin of his cheek, whispering a quick prayer before she straightened, hustling out of the room without a backwards glance.

_Tuesday, April 16th_

Rei stepped out of the main room, closing the door behind her as she came upon Yuiciro, who was kneeling at the foot of the coffin where her grandfather was laying, clapping mutely in a set pattern, his eyes closed. When he finished his silent prayer, his usually smiling face was somber, for once his hair combed and brushed back from his lidded eyes as he looked up at her. With one hand resting palm up on his knee, he gestured to the space next to him, inviting her to join him as he sat vigil. He had spent the night in the room as was tradition to keep the body company until they could perform the proper rituals and rites, having asked her for the right the day before, wishing to say goodbye to the man who had taken in the wayward youth with nothing but his guitar. Smiling softly at him, she came to sit next to him, folding her legs underneath her gracefully.

"Where's _Oji-sama_?" He asked with a twist in his voice, keeping his eyes on the carpet.

"He's terrorising Yuuka-san," She responded with slight humor, referring to one of the Miko who had come with the Priests of the Hikawa Shrines in Kyoto this morning. The wake was in the afternoon and everyone was helping to prepare the Shrine, while her father organized and generally yelled at everyone else. She was genuinely amazed at how many people were coming, though she supposed she shouldn't be considering how many patrons frequented their Shrine, considering its size.

"Is he staying here tonight? He asked warily, grimacing slightly at the thought.

"I think so... I heard him talking to Kurata-san about bringing some paperwork to him after the wake, so I'm pretty sure," She responded.

"Well, I'm going to go get ready; I've never been in the main _Kannushi _role, I'm kind of nervous," He admitted, spryly jumping to his feet. She nodded, relaxing her posture a bit as she prepared to wait with her grandfather until they were ready to perform the purification rites.

Sometime later, her father popped his head in, indicating it was time. Rising slowly, she kept her eyes on the figure in the coffin, wishing that this was all a dream and that she would wake up to Sofu knocking gently on her door, reminding her of her chores. Taking a deep breath, she turned, surprised to find her father dressed in the traditional robes of a Shinto Priest.

"Don't look at me like that; I was raised here, as well," He responded gruffly to her look, waving his arm to her so they could get started. As she walked past him, he put a hand on her shoulder, keeping it there as he followed her out to greet the gathered guests.

_Wednesday, April 17th_

The sky was a swirling mass of sickly grey clouds, heavy and sagging with rain as Rei stood unprotected in the dribble. She titled her face upwards, letting the moisture cool her flushed face as she held back her tears. The wind was teasing the trees, a quiet rustling symphony to accompany the airy chimes clanging against each other. The Shrine seemed so quiet, so alone--as if it could feel the absence of it's master keenly, just as she did. Shivering against a non-existent chill, she wrapped her arms around herself, contemplating the new significance of the day.

They had just returned from the crematorium, having gone through the last phases of rituals for the funeral ceremony. The family had done the ritual bone picking, placing pieces of the skeleton into an urn that now sat on the central mantle in the _Honden_, where it would sit for 90 days before they would then scatter part of the ashes also contained within; it would be a ritual performed in Kyoto, where the family burial plot was. Until that point, she wouldn't feel like her grandfather was truly gone, but she was content to know that he had been properly purified. Posthumously, he had been renamed _Hi no Daichi_, or The First Son of Fire, and was now a patron _Kami_ of their family and Shrine, but she would always think of him as her dearest _Sofu. _

Rubbing her eyes, she felt numb inside; she was twelve years old today yet it seemed as if she was much, much older. She didn't know if her life would ever be the same again, now that she had no one she could truly trust in the world, but she had come to a conclusion, at least, regarding what she was to do with it now—she would dedicate her life to filling her grandfather's shoes, to become a Priest and take over the Shrine from Yūichirō. It only seemed appropriate – he had been so disappointed when her father had scorned his birthright to become a politician and she knew he would be proud to know she would continue her studies. She had always known, somewhere deep in her heart, that the fire was her true calling, but it was only when she had said a final goodbye to her grandfather that she knew with absolute certainty. She knew it would be difficult; despite there being no rules against it, it was still uncommon for women to take on the role, but she knew she was qualified enough and smart enough to achieve it.

"Oi," Yūichirō grunted from behind her, causing her to jump. Shaking her head, she turned to him, happy that he was still around, though she wouldn't ever tell him that. He came to stand next to her, leaning his head back and taking a deep breath.

"Not the best of birthdays, is it?" He commented quietly, keeping his eyes on the angry sky above.

"It could be better… But, at least _Sofu_ is at peace now," She responded, shuffling her feet.

"Yes… Though, I don't know if I can ever live up to him, you know?" He confided, turning to look her in the eyes. His were red rimmed, indicating he had been crying, and there was a look of pure anguish about him. Her grandfather had taken in the wayward youth when he been but a homeless guitar player, playing both father and mentor to the boy just as he had with Rei. She felt inside that they were his true children and somehow her father had been but a fluke in the genetic pool.

"You'll be fine; don't worry about it. He had faith in you and so do I," She replied, putting a hand on his shoulder. He smiled over at her, but lost it quickly when he looked beyond her.

"_Oji-sama_," He said respectfully as Takashi came up behind them, having changed quickly from his kimono into a typical black business suit. He narrowed his eyes at the two of them, eyeing their closeness suspiciously.

"Rei, I've got to get back to the office. I'll leave a car here, though, so you can return home when you've packed," He said, turning to leave without waiting for a response. Rei blinked for a moment, uncomprehending until it dawned on her.

"What? You think I'm coming to your house?" She demanded, taking a few steps forward and grabbing his elbow assertively. He turned back to her impassively, quirking an eyebrow.

"Well, you have no supervision here now that _Otou-san_ is gone. Did you think I would let you just stay without anybody to look after you?" He said darkly. She scowled in response.

"Well, yes. I didn't think you cared about what happened to me," She said honestly, clenching her hands into fists.

"You _are_ my daughter, Rei," He said simply.

"Like that's ever meant anything to you in the past," Yūichirō muttered under his breath, but loud enough for them both to hear. Rei was heartened that he was sticking up for her, but knew it wasn't going to help her case as her father hated the young man.

"I'd keep your mouth shut, if you want to stay installed in _my _Shrine," Takashi snapped, glaring at the young man.

"Papa, Yūichirō-kun, Please," She interjected warily, loosing her anger and will to fight just as quickly as it had flared up inside. She looked beseechingly up at her father, allowing him to see her vulnerability.

"Papa… this is my home, now. I want to stay here," She finally said quietly, pleading with her eyes.

"With him? Are you out of your mind?" He responded, pointing a finger at Yūichirō disbelievingly.

"Yes, with him. Amazingly enough, he's been here for me," _Unlike you_ she silently added. Her father just stared at her, as if he had heard the last part because she could've sworn there was a look of pain in his eyes. It flashed quickly by, though, and an indifferent mask quickly covered it up.

"Fine, suit yourself for now. We'll talk about this later," He finally said, turning to leave. He paused at the doorway, looking back at the two of them for a moment before he swiftly disappeared. Rei sighed; that battle wasn't over, but she knew it was one she would fight tooth and nail on. She had basically been taking care of herself since she was five years old and she'd be damned if her father was going to step in now of all times and try to tell her how to live her life.

"Don't stew about it, Rei-chan. Let it go," Yūichirō said quietly, filling the silence that had stretched between them. She smiled waveringly up at him, though it didn't reach her eyes, and nodded.

It was going to be a cold and lonely night, but at least it was on her terms. Sighing, she gestured to the door, indicating they should get inside and clean up the Shrine. They were the last two left, having bid the contingency from Kyoto goodbye immediately after the ceremony, and it felt wrong not to have _Sofu_ directing them. She shrugged off the alien feeling and straightened her shoulders; he wouldn't want them slacking in their duties, no matter how sad they may be.

"Once we're done I'll share some of the sake with you," Yūichirō said as cheerfully as he could, having obviously thought the same thing. She made a face, but followed him inside, ready to confront the Shrine that seemed so empty without Hino Takahiro's presence.


	5. 2005

**Author's Note**: Please take the time to review...

**Glossary**

_Tatami_ – traditional Japanese mats.

* * *

**2005**

_It was dark and suffocating, rubble digging into her back as she struggled to free herself. Heaving upwards, she pushed the slab of concrete that had been broken across her body in the recent explosion to the side, breathing in big gulps of air. Wildly, she staggered to her feet, brushing a dirty white glove across her eyes to clear the grime as she searched the debris for—_

"Minako!" Rei yelled out, blinking in disorientation at the light fixture in the ceiling before groggily sitting up. Stumbling to her feet, she made her way barefoot and robeless to the bathroom, the cool air from her open window chilling her sweaty skin. Breathing deeply, she felt her way to the sink in the dim pre-dawn light seeping in through the cracks of the curtains. Leaning over the sink, she was barely able to make out her face in the mirror, her dark eyes and hair blending into the shadows as she stared at herself. Inhaling deeply, she fumbled with the tap, the sound of the rushing water loud in her ears.

She watched the water swirl into the drain, the noise cacophonous, growing louder and louder until it overwhelmed her senses, blending seamlessly into the sound of –

_Another explosion rocked the foundation beneath her feet, but she caught herself from falling as she scrambled over what once was a wall, now a pile of wreckage. The air was heavy with smoke and she could barely make out the outline of the main courtyard ahead of her, the grass upended and the central fountain in ruins but she didn't stop to take in the destruction, desperately scanning the open area. She almost screamed in frustration when she had traversed the entire circumference, finding nothing but wreckage. Twirling around, she made her way back to where she had fallen, a sense of panic rising in her stomach as her heart beat erratically. She could feel her, somewhere, somewhere close but she couldn't see, the dirty air stinging her eyes as tears came unbidden. _

"_Minako! Minako!" She yelled, calling her name over and over, frantic as she jumped over a fallen pillar, landing squarely on her feet and using the momentum to push herself off the ground again, finally coming to a stop on the top of a one of the more intact pillars. Using the vantage point, she once again scanned the area, the pale Earthlight nowhere near sufficient for her to see. _

Blinking, Rei found herself sagged against the bathroom counter, the smell of acrid smoke still lingering in her nose from the powerful memory. She glanced around, realizing that the time had rushed past her as bright rays of sunlight fell in slats across her skin from the window blinds. With shaky hands, she pulled off her nightshirt and hurried to the shower, hoping she could at least get through that without drowning herself due to a memory flash.

The pipes creaked as she turned the water on, the showerhead sputtering before it whooshed on, enveloping Rei in the warmth. She closed her eyes and let out a deep breath, letting the water beat against her face in a comforting rhythm. From the time they were reborn, Rei had begun to have flashes of her previous life, bits and pieces of mundane memories that would come over her in small waves, never lasting more than a minute. It felt like a cinema reel, though, quick and flashy but impermanent, as if they were happening to somebody else. She could still feel the aches in her joints and the sting of abrasions on her back, though, and when she blinked she could see a barren wasteland behind her lids, the shape of buildings feeling so familiar that she almost wept at seeing the husks they had become.

When she stepped out of the shower, the cool air brought goose bumps to her skin and she shivered, feeling the chill deep in her bone. Unbidden, another image rose to mind; the shock of color dashed against the rocks, blond hair with a tattered red bow like a bright beacon. She could barely make out the body, for Minako was prone against the rubble, half covered by the debris with her face turned away from Rei. Blinking, she saw two worlds: first, the _tatami_ mat across the beige tile and gleaming chrome of the sink fixtures juxtaposing with the image of the hazy horizon, the bombarded Castle wavering in the background as Minako lay broken.

Towelling herself off quickly, she hurried back to her room, dressing despite her wet hair. She needed to see this, to know what had happened and she knew if she focused, it would come to her. Her vision was already swimming with the confusing viewpoints and when she finally settled down into a sitting position in front of the flames, she was able to slip into a deep meditative trance very quickly.

_They had been sent to the central command room to seal off and destroy the mainframe computer before the data fell into the hands of the enemy; they had succeeded, but had been separated as they had half jumped , were half blown over the balcony, clearing the explosion that had levelled the room they had been standing in but 5 minutes prior. Minako was already hurt, her shoulder useless after being sliced clean through as they had run for the castle, dodging youma and earthlings alike and Rei had paniched when she didn't immediately spot the girl when she scrambled up, having been propelled a fair distance from the other girl. _

_As she stood there, though upon the Pillar, her stomach lurched and she felt the world tilt at seeing her friends unmoving form tossed in with the chunks of exploded dirt and ragged pieces of alabaster marble. She moved faster than she had ever moved before, using her momentum off the Pillar to propel herself to the small crater that the girl laid in. She looked up at the dark swirls of dark energy that were spewing forth youma and various projectiles, wondering if she could get Minako back to the Queen before they swarmed this location. Swallowing thickly, she knelt down shakily, pulling the girl from the rocks gently._

_Tenderly, she turned her over onto her back, holding back her own gasp as she took in the bloody mess that was Minako's face. She seemed to have been unable to catch herself, being blasted into a heap that left her already injured arm twisted at a sickeningly unnatural angle, while lacerations and gouges mottled her usually clear skin, her eyes half-lidded and unseeing._

_Gulping, she glanced around once again, guarunteeing they were still relatively safe but deeming her location to be too open. Using one arm to hook under long legs, she grasped tightly and lifted the other girl up in one smooth movement. With a burst of energy she didn't realize she had left, she carried the girl to a more secluded place, happy they had cleared the area of the ground troops the Dark Kingdom had sent after them. Kneeling down, she cradled the girl in her arms, wondering if she could get the girl back through the heavy forces to where Makoto and Ami were hopefully holding a line, but she realized that she couldn't move the other girl anymore in her condition. _

"_Come on, Minako,' She said raggedly, the taste of blood and bile heavy in her mouth as she waited with held breath as Minako coughed. Her eyes fluttered, but remained glossy and Rei almost sobbed when a bright light encompassed the girl, blinding her momentarily before she blinked it back, dark brown hair replacing blonde as Minako de-transformed before her eyes. _

"_Please, open your eyes, come on," She pleaded, leaning over her desperately, her long black hair covering the girls face and body as she clutched the suddenly frail girl, feeling like she could further break the delicate frame if she held her too hard. _

"_I'm sorry, oh... Minako, I'm sorry," She whispered to the delirious brunette as tears began to fall. Her eyes slipped closed as she leaned over and boldly pressed her lips against the other girls, tasting the salty tang of blood and the grit of dirt. She was so consumed in it that she did not see nor feel the flash of energy that, in a sonic boom that rocked the very core of this tiny satellite, destroyed the last of the once great Moon Kingdom of the Silver Millennium._

She kept her eyes closed for many minutes after the vision had passed, feeling the heat of the flame warming her face. She could still feel the fragile weight of Minako in her arms and the taste of blood on her lips—it had been so vivid, so real that she felt tears welling behind her lids. Feeling a moment of hysteria, she continued to breathe deeply, trying to calm her wildly beating heart but failing miserably.

She could not get the image of Minako's broken body out of her mind, though, no matter how long she meditated. She felt the panic rising again, threatening to overwhelm her completely and destroy her composure. Swallowing thickly, she stood up quickly, feeling dizzy and parched as she realized she had been sitting in front of the fire for most of the day.

Without truly seeing where she was going she hurried out of the room, pushing past a surprised Yūichirō who was sweeping the concrete in the courtyard. She shook her head at him, not stopping to explain (how could she explain that she was reliving, over and over, her own death?) as she rushed to her room. Frantically, she searched for her phone, finally finding it in a jacket she had worn the day before. With shaky fingers, she dialled a number that only a few people even knew existed, let alone had, which millions of fans would kill to own. Minako answered within two rings.

"Hello?"

"Minako?" Rei croaked, feeling distinctly off balance but feeling relief flood her senses at hearing the other girls voice.

"Mars? Is something the matter?" Minako asked, concern lacing her tone. Rei clutched the phone in clammy hands, suddenly remembering the awkward kiss she had bestowed upon the other girl. What had that meant? Why was she seeing this, now, of all times?

"Mars?" Minako repeated again, drawing her attention back to the phone. Blinking, she scrambled to say something—anything.

"Why do you still call me that?" She finally demanded, wondering why it suddenly bothered her.

"It's who you are," Minako said simply, obviously letting Rei determine the flow of their conversation.

"No, you're wrong. My name is Hino Rei and that is who I am, here and now," She responded warily, wondering why she was saying this instead of telling Minako about her vision.

"I know who you are, regardless of what I call you, _Rei-chan_," Minako finally said, startling Rei with the seriousness of it. She seemed to have eschewed teasing her today, obviously hearing the distress in Rei's voice. She could be oddly comforting that way…

"Well, I have to go," Rei finally said, after clearing her throat.

"So, you called me just to tell me not to call you Mars?" Minako asked with slight mirth, obviously knowing it was more than that.

"Well… Uh.." Rei didn't know what to say to that, scowling at the phone for a moment before raising it back to her ear.

"Don't hurt yourself, I'll let you go," Minako said good naturedly.

"Okay… Goodbye," Rei said, ready to hang up the phone.

"Goodbye…. Oh, and, _Rei_?" Minako asked, making her pause for a moment.

"Yes?"

"Happy Birthday." And she hung up.


	6. 2006

**Authors Note**: Once again, as I have mentioned in each section now, there's a serious dearth of reviews... Like, none as of the moment... Just drop me a quick review, I'd appreciate it.

Once again, to see the illustrations provided by Sammee that accompany this fic, they arOe to be found by visiting My Picasa Album, at this URL: ** picasaweb(dot)google(dot)com/eossana** (obviously replace (dot) with a period before you put that into your address bar).

* * *

**2006**

"Ah, there you are," Rei looked up from sweeping to see Yūichirō trotting up to her, an exasperated look on his face.

"Hiding back here, working—why are you doing that on your birthday?" He asked as he came to a stop.

"It's relaxing, plus you know I don't like to make a big fuss on my birthdays. What do you want?" She asked, continuing to sweep with her eyes on the ground. She had grown up around the man and he knew her temperament, just rolling his eyes good naturedly at her prickly attitude.

"You have a phone call, actually," He replied, looking up at the trees briefly, before smiling widely at her and strolling off. She followed, picking up the phone left sitting on the table in the hallway.

"Rei-chan?" She was surprised that it was Motoki; she had left her cell phone off in her room and didn't know he had this specific number.

"Ah, Motoki-kun, what can I do for you?" She replied politely, wondering why he was calling. Though they had all become closer, considering he was Mamoru's best friend and Makoto's boyfriend, he wasn't in the habit of calling her frequently.

"Ah, ah, I kind of have an emergency and I need someone to cover my shift over at the Crown, do you think you could do it for me? There's nooobody else," He said in a rush, a desperate quality to his voice.

"Are you sure you don't have anybody else you could call?" She asked with reservation.

'I've tried to call everybody I can think of.. but this is pretty important. Please?" He pleaded.

"When?" She sighed, finally giving in.

"Oh, thank you, thank you! Come by around four, alright?" He gushed, ending the call soon after. She stared at the phone for a moment, wondering why she always managed to be dragged into things like this. She didn't expect Motoki to know what day it was, considering really only Minako had ever mentioned it, though who knows how she had found out. Not that she had specifically made any big deal out of it the previous year, which didn't necessarily mean that she would still remember...

Flushing, she shook her head, she stopped her train of thought dead in it's tracks, not allowing herself to begin to think of her erstwhile best friend. Their relationship had been far more difficult in the last year after she had begun to remember their past lives which, just as she had thought before, did nothing but complicate things for her present life. Muttering to herself about the unfairness of it all, she went back to finishing her chores, figuring she might as well get those done before she had to go into the Crown.

***

"Ah, thank you again!" Motoki gushed, pulling his apron off and handing it to her.

"No problem…" She muttered, holding the apron with slight distaste as she fingered the thick fabric.

"So, it's pretty simple, just check passes and charge for day passes. You don't have to clean, or anything, and I'll be back within an hour or so, okay?" He rambled, pointing out the cash register and the counter.

"No problem…" She muttered again, pulling on the apron and settling herself behind the cash register. Not that she liked her birthdays but it still wasn't fun to have to work. Resigning herself, she slumped over the counter despondently.

The next hour or so was surreal, though; more people came with prepaid day passes than she had ever seen, on top of them all being people she knew in some way or another. She started to get a feeling after the fourth person from the Shrine had entered, smiling at her conspiratorially as they flashed the pass. It seemed too much like a coincidence and she wondered what it could mean…

When she heard music blaring from one of the larger karaoke rooms, she went to investigate—they shouldn't be leaving the door open as it would bother other customers. As she was walking back, though, it struck her that all the other studios were empty, save for the largest farther down the hall. As she was coming up, she saw Ami and Usagi by the door, smiling widely.

"I knew you'd come back earlier than she thought," Ami said cryptically.

"Eh?" Rei responded, wondering what she meant by that. It started to dawn on her, though, what this was all about—when her friends took her by the arms and led her in, she was hardly surprised when all the people she had checked in burst out of various hiding spots to yell "SURPRISE!" before breaking into the Happy Birthday song.

She blushed hotly, wondering why she was so absurdly touched; she hated her birthday, she hated parties… But when they finished singing and everybody crowded around her, she couldn't help but smile winningly at them all. Groups of people she had never expected to see, both from her school and the Shrine, came up to wish her a wonderful year. Usagi and Ami hugged her enthusiastically, while Makoto revealed a wonderfully large sponge cake with four layers, delicate swirls of whip cream with kiwis and strawberries, and her name in beautiful calligraphy written across the top. It all seemed so surreal, but she realized something quickly.

"Where's Minako?" She asked Usagi, who just smiled at her before pointing to the stage. Music started to play and the lights dimmed, revealing a more professional stage than the Crown usually boasted for their karaoke. A spotlight flashed on, illuminating Minako in the center of the stage, a large red cowboy hat perched upon her head.

"Hello everybody! Thank you for coming, I'm so glad you could make it! I have a very special song I'd like to sing for a very special friend of mine. Happy Birthday, Rei!" Minako said into the microphone, before the melody in the background became louder and she broke into a familiar song—Happy Time, Happy Life.

_Happy time Kiss me, forever._ _It's okay to look at the sun._ _Happy start I noticed when I fell in love._

For the first time, Rei truly listened to the lyrics, feeling her heart thud wildly in her chest. Embarrassed, she glanced around, wondering if anybody was staring at her, wondering if they somehow knew the things she had kept inside for so long—but nobody was looking at her, despite it being her party: with Minako on stage they only had eyes for her. Rei looked up, as well, finding Minako staring straight at her with a soft smile on her face as she sang. She was dressed in an edgy outfit, her skirt dangerously low with heels ridiculously high; yet she danced about the stage perfectly, never breaking eye contact.

_You gave me the strength and kindness to keep believing_ _If I reach out, I can always reach your arm._

She felt tears come to her eyes; happy, surprised tears that threatened to dismantle her, but she sniffled and smiled, instead. Ami leaned against her right shoulder, with Usagi on the left, both swaying to the music as they held onto her, with Makoto and Motoki dancing in front of them, causing her to giggle silently.

_Happy start We'll share our sadness together._ _Happy time, happy days, happy life_

She felt like she was floating on clouds, warmth spreading throughout her stomach that she, for once, let be without analyzation or rationalization; she was too caught up in the unexpected moment to let herself start to neurotically pick apart the details. She even found herself moving in tune to the beat—ever so slightly.

_Happy time, happy days;_ _Happy time, happy days_

As the song was coming to an end, she found herself propelled through the crowd by six pairs of hands. She looked back curiously at her three friends as they nudged her to the stage.

"Go talk to her, she's the one that put this all together," Ami said quietly, pointing to the stage.

"Yeah, we didn't even know it was your birthday! You're so mean to us!" Usagi wailed, but the large smile on her face as she grasped Mamoru's arm gave her away. Makoto just smiled knowingly at her, making her flush. Shaking her head, she turned and pushed through the crowd, amazed, still, that so many people were here.

Minako was stepping down off the stage when she approached, a rosy glow to her face after shimmying and say-shaying about the stage. Rei couldn't help it, but her heart clenched at the sight, butterflies fluttering in her stomach as she opened her mouth to speak, before closing it quickly, unsure of what to say. Minako seemed to understand, smiling at her warmly, before embracing her quickly.

"Happy birthday," Minako whispered in her ear, before pulling back just as quickly.

"I originally wanted to have you work the whole shift out there before letting you get to party, but Usagi-chan took pity on you and lured you here sooner." She said teasingly as she stepped back.

"Thank you," Rei said seriously, hoping her eyes would communicate how much it meant to her, unable to voice all the emotions swirling in her head. Their relationship was always a push and pull… but then there were times, times like this, that Minako would surprise her, show her that their bond went just as deep for her as it did for Rei. And thankfully, she would allow Rei to save her dignity by not lingering too much on the particulars.

"Rei-san! Hey, Rei-san!" She looked up to see a boy from her school, wondering how he managed to get an invitation considering how much she thought he was an idiot. With a grimace, she turned to Minako with a helpless look on her face.

"Why him? Arg…" She complained, making Minako laugh. Shaking her head, she noticed that there were quite a few boys from her school that had bothered her, though what Minako knew and she didn't was that they actually made up a Hino Rei fanclub; Minako was unable to pass up the opportunity to torture Rei ever so slightly with their inclusion at the party.

"Hino-san!" Another boy in the opposite direction was pushing through the sea of people, heading straight for her. Rei looked panicked for a moment, before she realized that Minako was shaking with laughter, attempting to hold it in at the bewildered look on the brunettes face. Scowling, she poked the girl in the shoulder.

"I have a feeling this is no coincidence," She said darkly, before she turned to dodge the two boys. She popped back up for a second, though, putting her hand on Minako's elbow for a moment.

"Later, I'll pay you back for this, you can count on it," Rei said it acerbically, though the small smile tugging at her lips gave her away before she walked off, leaving Minako to question what "pay you back" meant in Hino Rei's world. She put a finger to her lip and tapped, a mischievous smile on her face as she watched the two boys converge on her location before searching wildly for their Idol, though they of course stopped to stare for a few moments at Minako in awe, it was a testament to their love for Rei that they couldn't be sidetracked.

***

She found Rei later on sitting in her designated purple chair in their secret headquarters, alone while she stared at the table. She looked up when Minako opened the door, smiling slightly though she couldn't wipe the sadness from her eyes.

"What's the matter?" Minako asked, concerned to find her here, instead of upstairs.

"Ah, nothing…" Rei mumbled, dropping her gaze to the table once more. Minako joined her, pulling her chair closer to the other girl as she quirked an eyebrow at her curiously.

"It doesn't look like nothing," Minako responded, lacing her fingers together and resting her chin on the base they created. Rei met her eyes squarely, the full weight of her vulnerability evident in her endlessly dark irises.

"Minako… I've never had a good birthday, before," She finally said, her voice thick with emotion. They had talked about her grandfathers' death, before, as well as how often as a child she had been disappointed and betrayed by the people around her, so she felt confident the other girl would understand.

Which Minako did, explicitly—she had experienced much of the same heart ache as a child, having grown up in the foster care system bounced between families until Manager had discovered her, propelling her onto a path she could never have dreamed would be hers to walk. She was thankful that along that path, she had met the friends that made it even more worthwhile… Rei included. Rei especially. Rei, specially.

Minako smiled at the train of thought, chiding herself for her sappiness as she placed a hand over Rei's, smiling at her tentatively` and giving the girl her silent support. When Rei finally blinked and looked away from the intense stare, she mumbled a thank you with a rising flush across her face. She couldn't look the Idol in the eyes, but when Minako felt her fingers lacing into her own, she felt her heart leap into her throat.

Rei gulped silently, feeling more nervous than she ever had in her life, knowing her palms were clammy and her heart was beating, yet, she also felt more relaxed than she had in a very, very long time. How could Minako make her feel so many conflicting emotions at once? She knew it wasn't just because of the past… She had spent much of the last year agonizing over these details, after her first batch of memories began to surface and she realized that her old self had been in love with Minako – who seemed to reciprocate, even though they never acted on it nor said it aloud. That's what had confused her… Other than one almost post mortem kiss, there hadn't been any indication other than the swell of emotions her counterpart seemed to experience in Minako's presence and it was only through logical deduction that she realized that Venus loved her back, as well.

The thing was…She hadn't wanted to be star crossed lovers with anybody. In fact, if she had it her way, she never would've remembered those things. True – maybe her dense present self wouldn't have woken up to her own emotions if not, but she would've sacrificed that to make sure that her love was genuine and not just a kickback. It took a lot of internal searching to realize that, yes, she did care for Aino Minako beyond Sailor Venus; but with their lives the way they were, that really didn't mean anything. Rei didn't want to be second best, not even to Minako's singing, but it was all so confusing.

It seemed, though, that with this party and the way things had been going… Rei didn't want to let her heart think that Minako was making an effort; it was easier to be stubborn and proud, leaving things unsaid and unclarified. As doubts swirled in her head, she tightened her grip on the hand in hers before pulling away, still unable to look the other girl in the eyes.

Minako felt Rei pull away and stand up, shoving her hands into the pockets of her tight jeans awkwardly. Minako could literally feel the girl distance herself and seal her emotions up behind the abyss that the Pop Idol never seemed able to cross for long. Unable to let it go this way, she felt her own natural confidence welling up inside and in a heartbeat she was standing herself, pulling Rei into her arms.

"Don't do that," She whispered into Rei's ear as she settled her arms around the petite torso, burying her face in the long dark locks. "You'll make a girl feel rejected."

Rei looked like a deer caught in the headlights, her eyes bright and open wide as she unsteadily returned the hug. She felt a tide break inside of her, like a rope pulled taut that suddenly snapped, leaving the tendrils of her self control flapping around. She felt moisture in her eyes and she held on tighter to the other girl as tears began to fall. Relief flooded her senses and she smiled through the sniffles, resting her head on Minako's shoulder as she took solace in the strong arms.

They stayed like that for a long while before Rei finally pulled back and wiped her eyes delicately, almost shyly. She looked up through her lashes at Minako, a quirk to her lips.

"Good job, making me cry on my birthday," She chided, one hand still resting on the Idol's waist.

"It's my treat; nothing like tears all over the couture," Minako joked back, nodding down to the wet spot on her shirt. She trailed a hand down Rei's arm, her fingers brushing against the soft skin until she held her hand once more. She squeezed, leaning her head against Rei's, not needing words. She was ready to leave it at that, not wanting to push, but when she pulled away, she felt the phantom of soft lips first on her cheek, then upon her own mouth so fleetingly it was like a dream, leaving her breathless with a pounding heart. She raised a hand to her face, dumbstruck as Rei smiled impishly at her.

"Come on, let's get upstairs before Usagi-chan hunts us down, okay?" Is all Rei said, still smiling as she tugged a surprised Minako with her to the stairs.

Their hands didn't separate for the rest of the night, despite Makoto's pointed comments and Usagi's excitement. Ami just shrugged; she hadn't suspected, like Makoto, nor been unaware like Usagi… She had just known, plain and simple. She nodded to Rei, who nodded back sheepishly and that, as they say, was that.


End file.
